


Friends and Fireworks

by BarPurple



Series: Bad Things [14]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fourth of July
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 13:08:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11403042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple





	Friends and Fireworks

Gold wasn’t sure what was more unnerving, trying to walk across sand at twilight, or watching Ruby Lucas grinning like a loon over the box of fireworks. While the sand was a minefield to negotiate with his dodgy ankle and his cane, Ruby in charge of a stunning amount of explosives had him feeling anxious. It was difficult to feel confident in the situation when he’d lost count of the times Ruby had accidently set fire to things in the diner. As they strolled down the beach he dipped his head and whispered to Lacey; “Isn’t Mulan in charge of the fireworks?”

He heard Merida laughing as she passed them carrying the picnic basket loaded with their celebration meal. Mulan trailed after her girlfriend and walked backwards a few steps to give him a huge grin. For the life of him Gold couldn’t work out what she was carrying large, long bag slung over her shoulder, it wasn’t the blankets, him and Lacey had those.

Lacey tripped over her own sneaker-clad feet, Gold almost sent both of them tumbling into the sand as he tried to catch her. She was laughing as she hugged herself to his side; “Oh my dear sweet Gold, Mulan? Setting off fireworks? You have no idea how crazy that would be, but you will see.” 

They made it to the spot Merida and Mulan had picked out for the picnic and helped lay out the blanket. Ruby was a fair distance away and she hollered; “Lacey! Pace this out for me!”

Lacey brushed sand from her knee and swatted Gold’s arse as she went by. He was glad she’d talked him in to wearing jeans tonight; a suit would have been ridiculous. This time last year he wouldn’t have dreamed of leaving his house in anything less than a perfect suit, but now he had Lacey in his life and he was finding he didn’t need his armour. He didn’t even mind Merida offering him a hand to get down on to the blanket.

“Thanks. Getting up might be more of a challenge.”

Merida chuckled and pulled a bottle of bourbon from the basket; “After a few belts of this you willnae care.”

Gold eyed the bottle; “A few belts of that and yae’ll be rolling me back over the sand, lassie.”

Mulan pressed a kiss to the top of Merida’s head; “Good job I’m the designated driver tonight.”

Lacey ran back to the blanket and threw herself down at Gold’s side; “Ruby is ready. Mulan?”

Mulan nodded and pulled a few things from her bag. Gold could feel Lacey buzzing with excitement as Mulan lit a torch, a proper flaming torch. 

“Oh wow, she can…”

He didn’t get to finish as Mulan took a swig of something and gave Ruby a wave. Gold’s eyes darted to Ruby who was already stooping to light a fuse. A whoosh drew his eyes back to Mulan just in time to see her breathe fire. Ruby and Mulan had clearly co-ordinated this, because just as the burst of flame Mulan had produced petered out the sky exploded with red, white and blue. As far as Gold could tell, every single firework Ruby had brought with her had just gone off. It was a display that rivalled the town’s New Year’s one. Gold just hoped they didn’t all end up on the front page this time.

The glitter and glitz of the fireworks finally died down and Mulan breathed another plume of fire. Gold was laughing and cheering, along with Lacey and Merida. Ruby let out one of her trademark wolf whistles and yelled, “Happy Fourth!”

Lacey whispered in Gold’s ear; “See now why we don’t let Mulan set the fireworks off?”

“Oh aye, I do.”

Merida was quick to hand Mulan a drink and douse her torch for her. 

“Amazing, as ever my lover.”

They rubbed noses instead of kissing and Gold wondered if that was because of whatever Mulan had used to fire breathe. Ruby dropped onto the blanket and Gold had to applaud her.

“That were fecking stunning, lassie!”

Ruby squealed with glee; “I made you swear, in like full on Scottish! Yay!”

Lacey handed out drinks as Merida and Mulan sat down. Ruby held hers up as if she was about to offer a toast, she looked at Gold and hesitated for an instant. For the first time that evening Gold felt like an outsider as Lacey and her friends shared a look; there was a silent communication going on here that he was not a part of. He swallowed his nerves and waited patiently. Ruby smiled and raised her bottle again.

“Our normal toast it to the Four on the Fourth, but this year that won’t work so,” she nodded at Gold, “To the Five on the Fourth! Here’s to another year of independence, friendship and love!”

Gold joined in with the clinking and drinking, a slight lump in his throat. He managed to stammer out something that sounded like a thank you, before he was wrapped in a hug from four sides. When they pulled away Gold patted his pockets and fished out his mobile.

“Can we all get a photo?”

The Fourth of July selfie, complete with silly faces was printed off and framed so it could hang in Gold’s house. Out of all of the pictures he and Lacey had gathered so far this year this one was Gold’s favourite.


End file.
